I’m psyched that Barack won Connecticut in the Democratic primary on Tsunami Tuesday with Bridgeport bolstering his effort. I mean it can’t hurt when the new White House and Congress carve up the pie for his massive economic recovery plan and they’re looking at the most loyal of states on his road to a November victory. Nah, they wouldn’t cut up the cake that way, would they?
If they do, fine by me. Bushy didn’t mind giving Connecticut a boot in the ass each time the state of his birth voted against him. “Yeah, Rummy, let’s redirect all that military loot away from those looney liberals in Connecticut.”
I say it’s time to get even. When Mayor Bill Finch hosts his press conference on Tuesday at the Congress Street Bridge to highlight the infrastructure candy he wants for his city, I’d have a big ol’ sign to remind Barack “Our Time Has Come.” Not that Barack needs a reminder.
In the old days Bridgeport was called Stratfield, a combination of Fairfield to the west and Stratford to the east. Every time Stratford pulled its boundaries further away, the town left its port neighbor with all the freaking bridges. Hence the name Bridgeport. If bridges are the mother’s milk of infrastructure projects we have a whole bunch that need nursing. Yeah baby, our time has come.
So, just days away from 2009. What are your highlights and lowlights? I kicked off the year jumping nearly naked into frigid Black Rock Harbor, took the blog solo in March, hosted some kickin’ OIB parties, interviewed my guitar hero Joe Walsh, turned 50, marinated in a bunch of elections and released a new book Bow Tie Banker.
Maybe the biggest moment came when my cat Stinky shredded that woodpecker eating us out of house and home. That’s my boy!
News release from Mayor Finch
School-Based Health Centers To Continue Operating During Transition Period
New private vendor expected to be in place for March 1BRIDGEPORT, CT (Dec. 26, 2008) – Mayor Bill Finch announced today that the state will fulfill its commitment to fund the city’s school-based health centers from Jan. 1 – Feb. 28 while the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) works to determine which private vendor will operate them beginning March 1, 2009.
The private vendor will be chosen from among those who responded to a request for proposal put out by the DPH earlier this year. Proposals from private agencies are currently under review by the DPH and a decision should be made soon regarding which agency will be awarded the contract to run the centers.
The centers will remain open and continue servicing the school population through the transition period. There will be no reduction in staffing levels during the transition.
“We have always had the best interests of the children in mind during this entire process. We will continue to work with the Department of Public Health through this transition period, and until the new vendor is in place,” said Mayor Finch.
The final payment of this contract between the City of Bridgeport and the state, funded by money allocated by the state legislature, will cover the cost of running the centers through the end of February at which time the DPH hopes to have the new vendor in place. The current staff that have received layoff notices have had those notices extended to Feb. 28.
Once a provider has been identified, the Mayor in conjunction with the Board of Education will conduct informational sessions with parents to review any changes in policy and health care delivery.
OIB Rumor Mill enters HYPERDRIVE:
There’s a Congress Street Bridge in your future.
THIS is the closest I will ever come to giving away free money. ANY OIB blogger could be $30 away from owning a significant piece of local digital real estate.
www .godaddy.com/gdshop/registrar/search.asp <– enter Congressstreetbridge in the correct field. It’s AVAILABLE.
Been away for a while so let me start with a belated Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa to everyone and a hope for a better Bridgeport in the new year.
With that out of the way, let me offer a comment on what might stimulate B’port. Capital infrastructure:
* Congress St. Bridge (let’s start bringing people together by connecting the east side with downtown)
* Access to Pleasure Beach, preferably water taxis (we can have Derektor build them and get local jobs)
* Clean the brownfields to entice developers who run when they hear the clean-up costs.
* Establish a revolving home loan program to moderize and green residential properties in the city
* Start the separation of the sewer system
* Update our street system with some spot improvements to intersections (like relocating the Borglum fountain) and cleaning up bottleneck intersections
* Move the library to the Annex and create a 21st-century technology center and give the library to the Housatonic Art Museum. Repair McLevy Hall and the downtown theaters.
I would like to see the Congress St. Bridge fixed and I would like to see the sewer system updated in the areas where the storm sewers and waste sewers are one in the same. I would like to see the Remington site owned by DiNardo taken by the city and cleaned up using super sites funding. There are more but these are my top 3.
*** It’s time in the New Year to eliminate “los feos” and everyone that’s part of that crew! *** Pleasure Beach is a lost “$” cause and should be sold to the Feds. who may be able to salvage some space for the birds & activities for local citizens, visitors, etc. *** Knock down & clean up all blighted property that’s been foreclosed by the city with intentions of resale of all city property & back on the tax rolls. *** Streamline certain city depts. by disbanding some of the smaller ones & joining together as one those that make sense. *** Set up a study & search group to find new city-owned property for some of the programs that are currently in rented or leased sites. *** In the streamlining efforts, examine those depts. that can either add more or benefit “$”-wise by having temp. seasonal employees like the Parks & Rec. dept. does. *** Examine the “$” benefits to the city by looking into the possibilities of a golden handshake for long-time, close-to-retirement city workers. *** Study for certain depts. switching to a #40hr./ #4-day work week if cost savings. *** Just to name a few items that the city if feasable might take a look at in the coming new year. ***
Wondering: I like your top-3 list. The Remington site offers a lot of potential and a great location … but then B’port is a great location. I think this city suffers from a lack of focus and vision. The demographics don’t support building another Stamford or even Shelton. We are perfectly suited to be the entertainment, sports, and affordable housing center of the region. This would make us a destination rather than a deviation. Let’s hope our civic leaders keep their eyes on the prize and not get lost in the politics of greed that B’port is known for.
Independent Soul … Connecticut is ranked very poorly in terms of being “business friendly”. Accordingly both the City & State should bend over backwards to help existing business. It’s a lot easier to keep a big, profitable customer than trying to create a new one … A great recent example is Lacey Mfg. … City & state should be doing that times ten.
Not quite sure why entertainment/sports is such a great strategy … Mostly low-paying seasonal jobs.
As to affordable housing … If you mean subsidized housing, thanks for nothing. Why is that Bridgeport’s niche and not the rest of Fairfield County?
Using this logic, Bpt should be the sewer capital for the region so Monroe, Trumbull, et al. can grow their tax base with Bpt just downstream taking care of all the the difficult problems.
New round of layoffs started today; rumored that the number could reach 60 people by week’s end.
$970 Million? Anyone would think that “Bridgepoor” is our city’s name. Why would the city spend hundreds of millions of dollars on Steel Point, when we are still waiting for the preferred developer to come up with $4 million for the land? Ahhh! I get it; when we spend or invest at least $100 Million on Steel Point, the developer will buy the land for at least $4 million. It sounds like Jim Himes will be using this $970 million dream to secure a victory next time around. How much is Jimmy getting for Norwalk and Stamford?
Back to reality! The layoff notices are back like Black Friday II. Several City employees (NAGE members) received notices this afternoon. Rumors are that 54 notices were delivered today.
Denis OMalley,
I’m afraid you either missed my point or else I was not clear enough.
What’s the documentation that CT is ranked very poorly in terms of being business-friendly? Is that small businesses because Stamford and Shelton and other communities are thriving on all the small business that cluster around the large corporations? I think a revolving loan fund to help small businesses get started (like the program I mentioned for homes) can be set up. The problem might just be the demographics in B’port.
It’s more about finding a niche. What’s wrong with low-paying and seasonal jobs? Ask the homeless or unemployed if they would take anything to survive or are they all just waiting for management positions? PT Barnum did well here in the entertainment business. Ask the library historian how many theaters existed in B’port years ago. Entertainment made Orlando and Vegas. Lifetime sporting venues can keep families together. Some people will make money and the influx of crowds might stir some of them to invest here.
Affordable housing is NOT subsidized housing. That was a gross and utter failure. But again with a population that is uneducated or poorly educated (thanks to our school system) and with no jobs, what type of housing would you want? Who will build million-dollar mcmansions in B’port and where would they do it? Being the affordable-housing mecca creates jobs and the need for shopping and restaurants and YES entertainment.
Let me be clear; I hate the garbage plant being in B’port and loathe the idea of more shit being sent to us from the ‘burbs. But the reality is that we have it. We just need a mayor and council who can stand up for the citizens of B’port and not their own self-interest.
Yes everyone, the layoffs for NAGE did start today. Larry and his elves (Jodi and Tom) were as busy as Santa on Christmas Eve! They laid off entire departments in the City today, not just a random few here or there. This is the way the Finch Administration uses excessive force to get what they want. It doesn’t even make any sense to how they did this today.
They laid off every civilian employee in the police department record room. This is a department that operates 7 days a week with 3 shifts of employees. Who is supposed to be doing the work in the city? Also, I heard that 7 or eight NAGE employees were picked off in the health department, not to mention 6 in the finance office. Nice going guys–this is how to handle the little guys who have been with the city for years! So much for the morale in the city. Maybe the review board needs to take a look at what has been going on with the city budget for years. Finch can try to blame this on the economy, but the economy has little to do with the bullying that is going on here.
All I can say to the NAGE employees is stand together and fight, there is strength in numbers.
*** Were there any political cronies on the layoff list this time around or are they still “Off Limits”? Due to morale, I bet if the city offered a golden handshake to those who have the time, they would probably go! But would it be “$” savings for the city in the long term? Once again, I believe it’s going to get worse before it gets better here in Bpt. and the state as well. Seems very few of the Finch campaign promises, except for some of the crony jobs, have yet to develop in Bpt. *** Last but not least, Bpt. city workers seem to have very poor Union representation in general & the things this Mayor is getting away with is proof! ***
Are ya ready to join Hot Tub Nation?
… say YAY-yuh, bay-bee!
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